Butt is the brother-in-law of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif.
The bench comprising Justice Iftikhar Hussain and Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi also condoned the delay of about nine years which had hindered Butt from moving the appellate court against the conviction under the law of limitation.
The reference accused Butt of embezzling Rs2 million which he is said to have received from the National Industrial Finance Corporation (NIFC). The money was reportedly paid to get Ahmad Mansion, The Mall, evacuated from illegal occupants, which he failed to do. The reference was filed on the complaint of the executive officer of the corporation.
Advocate Ehtesham Qadir, pleading Butt’s case, said that his client was not in the country since May 13, 2000, thus reports prepared by NAB were bogus and aimed at victimising him.
He said that the alleged contract was between the two parties and any breach did not amount to corruption or embezzlement of public money. Hence the conviction as well as arrest warrants of his client were void of legal strength.
NAB advocate Mian Muhammad Bashir argued that the appellant should be shifted from the hospital to the jail.
Meanwhile, the accountability court on Wednesday extended Butt’s judicial remand till September 24 and also issued show-cause notices to the medical superintendent and deputy medical superintendent of services hospital for September 21.
The counsel for the bureau said that hospital authorities have admitted the accused for an indefinite period on the pretext of medical treatment whereas the court had ordered that he be sent to jail on remand.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 16th, 2010.
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